God's Gift
by latest-blooming-sakura-blossom
Summary: One woman. That's all He changed. He went back and made sure one woman, Elizabeth Tina Harvelle, was born. Now with an extra hunter on the team Sam and Dean attempt the save the planet from Lucifer. But what tricks does Liz have up her sleeve? How can she alter their path and make the future a better place to be?
1. Prelude

One person can change so much. The entire course of history can be completely re-written by one human, and sometimes the results can be beautiful. I realized my mistake. I realized what, who, they needed. So I went back, I did a do over. I get those, I am God after I. So like I said, I went back and made sure this human, this woman, was born. Her name is Elizabeth Tina Harvelle. That's right, Jo gets a big sister! Anyway, you probably don't believe that one person can alter the entire course of the planet but I do. I've seen enough of humans to know their incredible strength, and she'll have even more to offer than a normal human woman would. I know, I know, no spoilers please. I guess what I'm trying to do is prepare you, educate you. Consider yourself lucky. No one else knows this happened. Every other human on the planet thinks this is the way it was originally written, which is how I intended it. So sit back and enjoy the show.


	2. Chapter 1

First off, I'm changing a few things around in the Supernatural universe. The pre-story history sticks mostly canon, but I've tweaked a few things (some things happen earlier than they did in the canon universe) to make my story work. Artist license being a thing and all that. Anyway, enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters here. If I did, Destiel would have been canon a LONG time ago. ;)

Dean frowned at the brown haired girl before him. She looked so much like her mother. "Liz, you can't expect me to let you do this." This time it was her turn to scowl.

"Look Dean, you have to carry my sister, Sam has to help mom through the window. Who else is left?"

"I can't let you die for us."

"Who said anything about me dying? I'm gonna make it out. There's a 30 second pause before the bomb goes off. Plenty of time to get out."

"Hell hounds?"

"I'll dodge 'em easy enough."

"You can't even see them."

"Who told you that Winchester?"

Liz slipped an amulet from beneath her shirt. "I can see the nasty fucks just fine."

"Where did you . . ."

Now Ellen felt the need to join the argument. "You're not staying behind Liz. I'm your mother, its my job to keep you safe. I'll do it." Liz shook her head. Sometimes having secrets was more annoying than it was worth.

"Mom, I will be FINE. Trust me. And the longer we argue the more chance that Jo won't make it. Leave. All of you. Now."

The fight left her mother's eyes and she nodded solemnly. Hugging her elder daughter tightly she turned and allowed Sam to help her up and out of the window. Dean gave her a tight lipped grin. "You better meet us back at Bobby's." She waved his concern away with her hand and turned towards the door. When she heard Dean yell the okay she moved the salt from the door swinging them open and waiting for the hell hounds to approach her. She had to time her call perfectly or they would scatter. She pressed the button, counted to twenty and sent out her prayer.

"You called?"

"We've got like 7 seconds to disappear out of her before this building explodes."

Arms wrapped around her shoulder and she felt the familiar flap of wings around her body.

When Liz opened her eyes she was standing in the middle of a large clearly, the angel across from her looking more than a little angry with her.

"What. The. Hell?" Each word it's own sentence.

"What? It was the only way to save the boys and my sister."

"With Castiel that close I almost didn't come. I can't risk him sensing me. You got lucky I was curious."

"Oh please. You could feel how urgent it was. You wouldn't have left me there."

"I almost did. Heaven believing I'm dead is more important that saving your ass."

"Obviously its not Bal, or we wouldn't be having this conversation."

He lips were a hard line. Liz couldn't read his face and she was a little worried. He'd never been this upset with her before. She knew he was angry she had almost killed herself, again, but he'd never admit it.

"Look, I've gotta get on the road, head back to Bobby's before my mom starts to think I died. She probably already thinks I'm dead. Ride with me for a bit?"

"Sorry, not today darling." A flutter of wings and he was gone. Great. She'd really pissed him off. Sighing she started walking towards the sound of passing cars. He could've at least taken her to her car. Feather brained bastard.

Dean shook his head. He couldn't believe Liz was dead. They'd made it back to Bobby's over an hour ago and they'd heard no word from the eldest Harvelle daughter. Stupid Girl.

"Dean?"

"What?"

"Did you notice that amulet Liz had?"

"What about it Sammy?"

"It was enochian, I'm almost positive."

"That is correct Sam." Sam and Dean both turned their head quickly, startled by the sudden appearance of their angelic friend.

"Cas, where the hell have you been? We could've really used your help back there!"

"Lucifer trapped me in a ring of holy fire. I made it out, but not before the battle had already ended."

"You saw Lucifer?"

"Yes Sam. But I believe we were speaking of the amulet that Elizabeth Harvelle is in possession of."

"Yeah, do you know where she got it Cas?"

"I'm beginning to get an idea. Though I don't know why he would have given an amulet like that to a human."

"Who Cas?" Dean was getting annoying with the dance around answers.

"Someone I thought to be long dead. He was a good friend of mine a long time ago."

"What's his name?"

"Balthazar."

"So why do you think Balthazar was the one who gave her the amulet?" Sam's voice wasn't a gruff as Dean's, he always had more patience when it came to these sorts of encounters.

"I thought I sensed him. Seconds before the building exploded. He appeared and disappeared in a instant, so I can't be sure."

"But you are sure there was an angel with Liz before the building exploded?"

"Yes Sam. And I am fairly certain your friend made it out of the building before the explosion."

"That's why she said she had enough time!" Dean finally broke his self-imposed silence. "She had feather brigade backup and didn't tell us! That sneaky little bitch."

"Don't call my daughter that Dean." The boys turned to see Ellen standing in the doorway. Her face seemed hopeful against her will as she turned to Castiel. "Cas, you think my baby's still alive?"

"I am certain of it Ellen."

"If she is she's got a lot of explaining to do!" Dean plopped into the chair of Bobby's desk. "Well, while we wait for her to grace us with her presence why don't we just summon up this long lost friend of yours Cas?" Castiel nodded.

"I shall gather the necessary ingredients." With a flutter of wings he was gone. Sam approached Ellen and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Cas is never wrong about this stuff. If he says she's alive, she is." Ellen smiled at him and exited the room silently.

"This is everything we need." Dean almost fell from the chair he was sitting in when Castiel spoke from directly to his left.

"Jesus Cas." He took a deep breath to steady his pounding heart. "Okay, let's do this thing then."

The necessary herbs were in the bowl. Dean looked to Cas for confirmation and dropped the lit match into the mixture when the angel nodded. The lights overhead flickered violently and suddenly a man stood before them.

"Balthazar."


	3. Chapter 2

"Castiel. It's good to see you again brother." Balthazar's smile was tight.

"Dude, really? Fake your death and disappear for who knows how long and that's the greeting you go with?" Dean's voice was full of judement.

"I thought you were dead. I grieved for you."

"Yes well Heaven had gotten a bit, well destructive for my taste."

"What are you doing here?"

"Whatever I want!" He smiled with a wave of his arms. "This morning I had a ménage et . . . what's French for twelve?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I can!" Balthazar seemed angry for a second but the happy 'I don't care' attitude returned quickly.

"We fought together."

"Too many times to count."

"Then why . . .?"

Castiel stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Balthazar's expression change. Sam and Dean would not notice the subtle twist of his mouth, it was too small for human eyes to catch.

"What the hell is going on here?" Liz demanded. All eyes turned to her. Her face was red and her eyes screamed with emotions that Sam and Dean could not understand.

"So you didn't tell them our little secret then?"

"Of course not. I just got here no thanks to you."

"So you are acquainted with Elizabeth?" Castiel seemed to be the only one of the three to find his voice in the awkward air of the room.

"We go way back, don't we Liz?"

"Shut up Balthazar." Her face was red from embarrassment this time.

"Wait, how do you know this asshole?" Dean walked over to Liz and stood directly in front of her, his back to Balthazar and the rest of the inhabitants of the room.

"It's not important Dean."

"Oh I'd say it's pretty damn important. We've been busting our asses the last couple of months trying to find a way to gank Lucifer and you've been buddy-buddy with an angel who may know something and didn't feel the need to tell us?"

"Bal doesn't know any more than you about killing the devil Dean. I'm not an idiot. I would have said something if I knew how to save the whole god damn planet!" Dean's nose was inches from her face now, his voice elevated.

"Well maybe you didn't know, but most angels aren't exactly good guys Liz. Did you ever think, even for a minute, that you were in danger every time you talked to this guy? That you were putting the rest of us in danger by being around him?"

"That is quite enough." Dean was shocked to hear Balthazar's voice so close to him. "I'm going to have to ask you to take a few steps back Winchester."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll make you. I don't think Liz appreciates you screaming in her face when your breath smells of two day old whiskey." Dean was fooled by the smile, he knew better by now than to ignore a threat like that from an angel. He stepped back. "There see! Isn't it so much better when we all play nice and pretend to like each other?"

"Oh shut your . ."

"Dean enough!" Liz threw a hand onto Dean's chest and placed one calmly onto Balthazar's shoulders. "Maybe you should leave for now. I'll talk to everyone and call you when things have calmed down a little."

"My pleasure. I have better things to do than sit in this dusty Martha Stewart nightmare anyway." And with that, he was gone as quick as he'd come.

"Liz, I think we have a lot to talk about." Sam, who had remained silent until this point, finally decided to enter the conversation.

"I know Sam. Can you get my mom and Bobby, they need to hear this too."

"What do you mean you've been hunting with an angel?" He mother's voice was calm, but Liz and everyone else in the room could sense the storm quickly brewing in Ellen.

"I don't exactly hunt with him. He pops in and saves my ass if I need it, and sometimes he just pops in to be a pain in my ass."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since before Lucifer got out of the cage."

"How did you meet him?" Everyone had a million questions, but no one dared to speak until Ellen was done interrogating her eldest daughter.

"That's a really long a complicated story mom. I can't really get into it right now either."

"Like hell!" Dean stood from his seat and pointed an accusing finger at Liz. "Start talking beginning to end."

"Dean, how I met him is not important." Unconsciously Liz put a hand inside of her jacket and gripped the book she kept in her inner pocket close to her.

"Okay, well what can you tell us?" Sam, ever the voice of reason.

"I can tell you he helps me. He always has. He saved my life today, and not for the first time. I can tell you that even though he doesn't know how to kill the devil, he can help. The question is, will he? He's not very fond of your attitude Dean."

"Well to bad I don't give a fuck what he's fond of."

"Dean, calm down."

"No Cas. This is crazy!"

"Look Dean, I know this is a lot to take in, hell I'm surprised no one's hit me yet, but you really do need to calm down. I couldn't tell you because Balthazar didn't want Castiel to know he was alive, he didn't want Heaven to know he was alive. And when I guy who's constantly saving your ass makes a serious request like that of you, you listen."

The room fell silent. Dean was fuming. Who knows what this Balthazar guy knew about them thanks to Liz. Cas was the only angel he trusted, and for good reason. But he knew Liz was a good hunter, had good instincts, so he did trust her. He didn't know what to think of the situation honestly.

"I need to talk to my brother alone." Dean motioned for Sam to follow him out of the room, the exited into the kitchen together.

"Well I'm gonna step outside for some air." Liz walked past her mother and Bobby, not daring to meet their eyes, and out into the crisp air of the salvage yard.

* * *

"Sammy, how can we trust him?"

"I'm not saying we trust Balthazar Dean, I'm saying we trust Liz. She's a good hunter, as good as me and you; she knows what she's doing."

"I know, but come on Sam! More freakin' angels? Really?"

"I know Dean. But right now we don't have many options. We need all the help we can get with this Lucifer thing, especially since the colt doesn't work."

"So for now we just sit and wait to see what happens?"

"No, for now we just do what we always do and see where everything goes. Maybe he can help us, maybe he can't. The only thing I know for sure is we need Liz. And if having Liz means having Balthazar too, then I think we'll have to deal."

"I still don't like it."

"I know you don't Dean."

* * *

"Balthazar." Liz called to him quietly from the back of the salvage yard.

"You know that Cas will know you called me?" She nodded.

"I know, but I also know Cas enough to know he'll leave us alone, for now anyway."

"So how did it go?"

"Better than I expected. There was a lot of yelling, mostly from Dean."

"That hairless ape grates on my nerves. I don't see why you insist on sticking so close to him."

"He's family Bal. He can be infuriating, but at the end of the day family is what matters."

"Did you tell them about the book?"

"No, it's not time for them to know that yet."

"They're going to be pissed you have more secrets after me." His grin was infectious and she found herself grinning too.

"They'll get over it." Liz closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around Balthazar's waist, resting her head against his chest. "I know you're still mad at me." He was uncharacteristically quiet then. After a moment he returned her embrace, if somewhat reluctantly. Balthazar wasn't big on 'mushy cuddly shit' as he called it.

"I just think you rely on me too much. You have far too much faith that I'll always come."

"You haven't let me down so far." Balthazar pressed his lips to her forehead softly.

"That's the part I hate the most." He pulled back from her then, all tenderness gone except the little she could still see sparkling in his eyes. "Don't let this 'hug' go to your head. You're still an insufferable bitch."

She smiled widely at him. "I know." She turned her back to him and began wandering back towards the house. "I better go before they come looking."

Balthazar stood there for a moment, wondering what exactly he was doing with this human girl. Shaking his head he banished the thoughts and with a flap of his wings he was gone.

When Liz re-entered the house Sam was just getting off the phone. "That was Martin. He has a case for us."

"Where?" Dean didn't look up from the laptop screen.

"The asylum he checked himself into." Dean looked at Sam and gave him a smug grin.

"Well Sammy looks like it's time for a visit to the looney bin!"

* * *

**_Okay, so the next chapter is going to be split between what you know happens (Sam and Dean's case). And what's going on back at Bobby's with Ellen, Liz, Bobby, and the gravely wounded Jo. I hope you guys like the story so far. It's really hard to write Balthazar with a soft spot and keep him in character, hopefully it gets easier the more I practice. Remember, reviews are food for my muse! Also the next chapter won't be up for about a week, I've got finals coming up soon. Sorry for the delay!_**


	4. Chapter 3

Lis was sitting in a chair by her sister's bed. It had been two days since the incident with the hell hounds and Jo had been unconscious almost constantly since then. "It seems like you're the only one not pissed at me. Mom hasn't said I word since I talked to her about Bal. Bobby rolls around the house, busying himself with research trying to find a way to end all of this, he hasn't spoken to me either. You'd think I told them I was a drug lord from the way they were acting. I really pissed Bal off by getting him found out too. That idiot. How was I supposed to know Castiel was still in the town? We hadn't seen him in over an hour. And then he left me in the middle of nowhere Jo. I had to walk for two hours before I found a car to hot wire. He can be such an ass when he wants to."

"I think you knew I was here for that last part."

"I may have heard your breathing." He moved from his spot leaving against the door frame to stand beside her at her sister's bedside.

"I figured it was safe to stop by since the idiots were out and Cas is nowhere to be found. How is she?"

"She's hurt, but she'll make it. She's tough, like me and mom." A small smile graced the angels face.

"She has to be to have made it this far. Has she woken?"

"Once, but only for a few minutes." He nodded. "You still pissed at me?" A sigh.

"I should be. I have every right to be. I wasn't involved in this mess, at least not directly. And now I'm in the path of not just Lucifer but Michael as well." She cringed. "But no, I'm not. I should have known this would happen eventually. Your senses are much duller than mine and you were bound to slip up eventually." The insult made her blood boil a little, but she let it slide. She knew it was just his way of making himself feel like he was still detached from the situation, detached from her.

"I don't think Cas will tell anyone you're alive."

"Doesn't matter much. Now that I'm in this whole show, someone from upstairs will see me eventually and spread the word." Liz knew she should apologize, but her pride didn't let her.

"You could just go back into hiding you know." That would be like him. Disappear to keep himself safe. He'd done it before after all.

"If I did that you would be dead inside a month and then the last year of keeping you alive would have been a waste." It was his way of saying he wouldn't abandon her. She smiled. "What I can't figure out is why Cassie-boy hasn't magiced your sister better."

"He can't. He's cut off from heaven now and healing is just one of the powers he can no longer use." Balthazar made a thoughtful humming noise in the back of his throat.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked for me to help her." She laughed humorlessly.

"I'm not like Dean. You just saved my ass and to repay you I forced you out of hiding and into a war. I know better than to demand you heal my sister." Balthazar just grinned down at her. Without a word he placed a hand on Jo's forehead and then disappeared.

* * *

Sam and Dean were on the road. They were on their way to the mental asylum where Martin had checked in.

"Dean, we have to keep an open mind here. Martin did check himself into a facility, this might not be a real hunt at all."

"Sammy, Martin was one of the best back in his day. If he says it's a hunt, I'll buy it." Sam sighed.

"Okay, well how are we even going to get in to the building for any length of time? The FBI wouldn't investigate suicides in a mental institution." Dean grinned at his little brother.

"We're gonna get checked in." Sam just stared at him for a moment.

"What?"

"We're gonna tell 'em the truth and get ourself a nice, comfy padded room for a few days." Sam shook his head but didn't say anything else on the matter. His brother really could be insane sometimes.

* * *

Liz had just finished filling her sister in on the last few days' events. Jo had been shocked to find out about Balthazar but she'd taken in better than the rest of them.

"So you have an angel?" Liz laughed a little at her word choice for the statement.

"No I don't have an angel. It's not like I own him. He just kinda, showed up one day. And he's been helping me ever since."

"Are you sure you can trust him Liz?" All hunters were the same in some aspects, no matter how young or inexperienced. Trust wasn't something you handed out easily.

"Yeah, I know I can. He's saved my ass more times than I can count. And he healed you, for no reason other than he wanted to. He's a good guy Jo. A bit of an egotistical jerk, but still good under all that." Jo smiled.

"Good enough for me. Now let's go downstairs, give mom a heart attack and grab something to eat. I'm starving." Liz smiled at her little sister and nodded.

"Sounds like a great plan to me."

* * *

_**Sorry it's so short guys. I just wanted to get a little something up to get you guys through the next couple of days. Finals are kicking my butt. I've got a nice little break Tuesday through Thursaday though so the second half of this chapter will be up then. After Friday, updates will be much more regular. I know there's not much different going on so far, but I'm building up to something huge! Let me know what you think of it so far, I'm kinda trying to make Liz a mix of Ellen with some Dean and a slight soft spot. Anyway, just let me know what you think. :)**_


	5. Chapter 4

"Now tell me, what seems to be the problem Sam?"

"He's depressed. Think he started the end of the world."

"I was addressing Sam, I want him to tell me why he feels the way he does." Dean pulled a face for the sake of the lie.

"I let Lucifer out of the box. I literally jump started the end of the entire world, and hundreds of people have died because of me. And more will die." Sam's voice held the right amount of melancholy. Dean thought he might have been playing the role a little too well. Time for his next line.

"I told him it wasn't him. See this Ruby chick, she's a demon, or was before we killed her, anyway she got him hooked on demon blood. Stuff was like a drug in the worst way. Sammy was all strung out and hyped up with evil mojo. I told him it wasn't his fault, he was just really really high." The Doc's face twisted and Dean knew they had him. Awesome. The truth always got you a straight jacket.

* * *

After causing their mother to jump out of her skin and having a good laugh over it, the girls sat at Bobby's kitchen table eating the spaghetti her mother had fixed for dinner. The meal was silent for over ten minutes before Ellen finally spoke up. "So Balthazar healed Jo?"

"Yeah mom. He did. And I didn't even ask him to do it." Ellen grunted in response.

"I still don't trust him."

"I don't expect you to. You don't know him. I get it. It's the 'protect my own' mentality that all hunters have. I do expect you to trust me though."

"That's a low blow Elizabeth Tina and you know it." Liz noticed Jo grinning at her over the rim of her beer bottle.

"Mom, I trust him. That should be enough for you to at least let him help. He's saved both me and Jo this week. I think you owe him a chance at the very least." Ellen remained silent. Well Liz figured she had to get her stubborn streak from somewhere.

"The girls got a point Ellen. We ain't exactly batting with the best odds here. And another guy on our team sounds good to me, especially if he's a former angel brigade member. And unlike Cas, he ain't lost his platinum pass yet." Bobby's phrasing was crude and blunt, as usual, but he was on her side. Liz smiled. With Bobby and Jo backing her, her mom didn't stand a chance at winning this one.

* * *

"Wraith. Sammy, it's a wraith." Dean and Sam were in the morgue of the asylum, inspecting the latest of the dead bodies.

"Well wraiths show their true forms in mirrors, so let's get to work." They heard footsteps approaching down the hall. "Shit!" Sam began to panic, hurriedly putting the body and the tools back where they found them. He slid the drawer to the body cooler closed just as the door opened.

"What are you two doing in her?" the nurse questioned the two men before her. Sam panicked. His brain was working a million miles a minute trying to think of something to say to get them out of this situation. Dean on the other hand knew exactly what to do. He pulled his pants down to his ankles and threw his hands in the air.

"Pudding!" The nurse cracked a smile.

"Alright, let's get you boys back up to bed."

"Crazy works, Sammy." Sam just grinned at his brother.

* * *

"Liz, come over here and look at this." Her mother was holding a newspaper in her hands.

"What is it?"

"Roy Jacobbs. Didn't you save him from a werewolf down in Louisiana last year?"

"Yeah, I did. And nearly lost a very vital organ in the process."

"He's dead."

"What?"

"Yeah, he boiled. In a Jacuzzi."

"Here's another one mom." Jo called from across the room.

"Mary Evans. Killed by a copy machine."

"I saved her from a wendigo up near the Canada border a few years back." Liz was flipping through her journal now. Matching names and hunts with the recent victims.

Two hours later they had a list 50 people long. All people Liz had saved, all in different parts of the country, and all dead from ridiculous accidents. "What the hell is going on?" Bobby exclaimed from his wheelchair near the fireplace.

"I have no idea. But from the looks of this, everybody I've ever saved is dying off." Liz was frustrated. What kind of monster could do this? What could travel this fast and more importantly track who she'd had contact with. A familiar flap of wings.

"I think I know what's going on." Balthazar's face had a strange look on it. "I've been keeping tabs on this for a while, I was beginning to wonder when you'd all catch on."

"You mean folks was dying and you just sat back to watch?" If Bobby could stand, Liz was sure he'd be doing his best to intimidate the angel in that moment.

"I wanted to make sure it was actually a pattern, and actually connected to Liz before I did anything. As it stands, it is, and I think I know who we need to talk to." He held out his hand and in his palm was a thin golden string.

"Well what's going on then?" Liz moved closer as she spoke to investigate the string in his hand.

"Atropos is behind the killings, I'm almost positive."

"You mean like, the youngest Fate sister?"

"She's the one."

* * *

_**Sorry for the delay guys. I was suffering from serious writers block. Not over major points, just little stuff. And then I realized the problem. I was trying to force myself to stick to close to cannon. I get bored writing about hunts we've all already seen (which is why Sam and Dean are so absent in this chapter) so as soon as I wrp the wraith hunt up, it'll be on to more exciting adventure. I wonder, anyone have any ideas what Atropos is up to? I'd love to hear thoughts. :) Reviews feed my muse, and help kick my lazy butt into gear a lot faster! **_


	6. Chapter 5

Waiting for Sam and Dean to make it back to Bobby's seemed to take forever. Liz had no idea how quickly Atropos was carrying out the killings, but she felt like every minute she waited another person was dying. Another person she'd saved.

"Please sit down before you put a whole in the floor with all your pacing." Balthazar was calm. Sitting stone still, the only part of him that was moving were his eyes, which were following Liz. She glared at him but otherwise ignored him.

"Mom, where did they say they were last time you talked to them?" Ellen sighed and glanced at her daughter from where she was standing in the kitchen.

"They should be here any minute Liz. Go easy on em. Dean made a 10 hour drive in less than 7. The boy's going as fast as he can." The young woman just nodded and continued in her pacing. She heard someone stand, but didn't turn to look at whoever was leaving the room. A hand grabbed her shoulder gently and she felt the familiar rush of wings and disorienting change of scenery. She was standing in the backyard of the salvage yard, decrepit and rusting cars all around her.

"What the hell was that for?"

"You were driving me crazy with all of that pacing in there Elizabeth." Balthazar seemed bored with the whole situation, and she would have been angry if she hadn't known him better. He was deep in thought about something.

"What's wrong?" He gave her a puzzled look. "You're doing that 'silently brooding but pretending to be aloof' thing again. Which can only mean you think something has a chance to go wrong."

"Well we are going after a fate. I have no idea why she's doing this, or what she may try to do to you." Liz took a moment to absorb what he had told her. She rested her small hand on his forearm.

"Everything will be fine. You and the boys will be with me, and with a team like that we can take down anything." Balthazar grunted.

"Your faith in those two hairless apes is both bemusing and worrisome." She laughed.

"I think I hear the Impala in the driveway, let's head back up to the house." Balthazar lifted a hand but she stopped him. "Let's walk. You're going to make me lazy with all this teleportation." This time it was his turn to chuckle.

* * *

"So there's a fate killing everyone you've ever saved?"

"It's actually a bit worse than that Sam." Liz's voice was level as she spoke, but it was hard to keep the shake of anger from her tone. "I've saved a couple of hunters in my time as well. And now everyone they've ever saved is dying too."

"So it's not just people you've directly saved, it's people who are alive because of you." She nodded at Sam.

"Alright, well how do we gank fate?" Dean seemed impatient with how long getting a "game plan" together was going.

"You can't." Balthazar made his way over the group of hunters. "But I can. If it comes to that."

"Who said you were coming?" Here came Dean's alpha male routine. Liz groaned.

"Dean, Cas is damn near human right now. And we could use the back up." Liz was frustrated.

"I don't trust him."

"But you trust me? Don't you?" Dean had plenty of reason to trust the eldest Harvelle daughter. The first time she'd proven herself as a hunter he hadn't even met her mother or sister yet. But the thing that stuck with him most was she was there. She was there with him the night he died, the night he went to hell.

* * *

_"That's not Ruby!" Dean screamed. But it was too late. Sam was already pinned against the wall. "How long you been in her?"_

_"Not long. But I like it in here, it's all grown up and pretty." Liz cursed to herself. They should have known. She should have seen straight through the bitches pretend game. But she hated the demon, so she couldn't say she knew her very well to begin with. She stood outside of the door to the room where the boys were, listening to everything that was being said inside. Her head was spinning. All she had on her was a shot gun load with rock salt, but she had to do something, she had to stop this._

_"I don't have to answer to puppy chow." She'd been so busy thinking she'd missed most of the conversation, but she could hear Lilith moving towards the door now, closer to where she was hiding on the outside of the room. She could hear the hell hounds bursting through the house behind her, bolting towards their master's call. A hand rested on the door knob._

_"Sick 'em boys." Liz made her move. She burst through the door, attempting to kick the line of gopher dust back into place as she passed it, but knowing she'd failed. She shot Lilith once, twice in the chest. The demon leveled her white eyes on Liz._

_"That hurt." And Liz found herself painfully flying through the air, her body slamming forcefully into the far wall. Three cracks. Those would be broken ribs. The hell hounds hurtled into the room but Lilith put up a hand. "Sit." She made her way over towards Liz, a smile on her face. "Did you really think that would stop me?" She slipped her hand into Liz's abdomen, the movement seemed effortless. Liz screamed in pain. Lilith removed the hand. "I'll have fun with you later, right now I want you to watch." Sam was screaming pleas for Lilith to stop but she paid him no mind. Dean was yanked from the table and onto the floor, hell hounds ripping into his chest._

_"No stop! Please! Take me, I'm the one that pissed you off, let us trade places!" The hell hounds ceased in their attack on Dean for a moment. Lilith smiled at her._

_"Almost good enough, but sorry, you don't have the right . . . lineage to be of use to me." The dogs went back to destroying Dean's body, ripping into him like he was a chew toy. Sam's screams grew more feral as the blood began pouring from Dean's body. So much blood. Liz knew they only had a few more moment before Dean was gone._

_"Stop it! No!" Sam was in hysterics._

_"Yes." Liz tore her eyes away from Dean to glance over at the scene unfolding before her. Lilith had her hand raised in Sam's direction. A light so bright it burned her eyes was flooding the entire room. When the light faded Liz noticed Sam was no longer pinned to the wall. He was huddled in the floor, arms protectively over his face. Then he stood and began walking towards her._

_"Back." He continued to make his way across the room, stopping to pick up the demon killing knife as he went. "I said back."_

_"I don't think so." But as Sam lifted the knife to strike the killing blow, Lilith screamed and vacated the body. Liz hit the ground with a thud, blood leaking from her opened abdomen. She felt on the verge of passing out, but all she could focus on was the scene before her. Sam coming undone over the sight of his brother's dead body. Liz blinked back her own tears. She had tried so hard to avoid this, this wasn't supposed to happen. She had failed. A tear slipped down her check, and that started the flood. Her sobs mixed with those of the younger Winchester, the room was filled with the sound of grief. They had failed._

* * *

"Yes, I trust you." Dean's face seemed strained. He must have been remembering the same thing she was.

"Well then, Balthazar comes with us. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him Dean. He's the one who saved me that day." Dean gave her a puzzled expression. "My guys were on the floor Dean. Did you really think I walked out of there?" The elder Winchester looked to his baby brother. He shrugged.

"I remember looking over towards her after a while, just kinda registering how bad she'd been injured. And she was gone."

"Fine. The angel can come."

"How do we even find her?" Sam questioned.

"We dangle bait!" Balthazar smiled. "I happen to know what city she's stalking around in right now, and also that she has a special hatred for you two bone heads."

"What does Fate hate me and Sammy?" Balthazar sighed exasperated.

"Maybe it has something to do with the two of you cheating death, constantly. Messes up 'the plan'."

"Okay, so we dangle ourselves in front of fate, she tries to kill us. Then what?"

"Then I freeze time, and we talk to her."

"Just like that?" Dean seemed incredulous.

"Just like that."

* * *

Five hours later the Winchester brother found themselves wandering around Manhattan, jumping at every loud noise or sudden movement.

"This sucks." Dean complained.

"Yeah, well you can't fight fate."

They expected something dramatic, something totally off the wall. What they did not expect was construction equipment falling from an apartment building onto their heads. Just before they were crushed under its weight, time froze. And the Winchesters along with it.

"Did you really have to freeze them?" Liz asked the angel beside her.

"I don't want Dean's mouth causing a problem. We can behave like civilized adults, he cannot." Liz chuckled a little. He was right.

"Balthazar." Liz whirled on her heel to see a young blonde women standing stick straight and looking very uptight.

"Atropos."

"I see you have the abomination with you. Hello Elizabeth." Liz kept her mouth firmly shut. Maybe Bal would have to do all the talking.

"How is Elizabeth an abomination?" Atropos glared Liz.

"She was never supposed to exist."

"Excuse me?" Liz broke her self-imposed silence.

"She is not in my plan. She was never supposed to be born. I have no idea where she came from."

"Well you see, when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much . . ." Balthazar began before he was cut off.

"Don't try me."

"Fine, fine. But you are going to stop this."

"No I am not. I am trying to set things right. And you and your 'friends' seem intent to ruin everything."

"Well that's because we are." His cheeky smile was contagious and Liz found herself grinning too. "I'm serious Atropos. If you don't agree to stop killing everyone she's ever saved, I'll kill you right here, right now." And to make his point he slipped his blade into his hand.

"That might not be the wisest idea. I have too sister, bigger in every sense of the word. And if you kill me, they'll come for her. For revenge. Now it's not like you're in the middle of stopping an apocalypse or anything, you can watch her every minute of every day." You could tell by the smug look on her face that she expected Balthazar to back down from her threat.

"That's where you're wrong darling. Screw the apocalypse and those two monkey's attempting to avert it. I would get no greater pleasure than sitting around, waiting for your sister to come, and killing them when they did." Atropos seemed taken aback.

"You're kidding."

"Try me then." She shook her head in frustration.

"Fine. I'll stop, for now. But after the apocalypse starts, which it will Balthazar, do not doubt that, they will all die anyway."

"Then they die anyway. But I'll let you in on a little secret. If anyone can stop the end, it's my little brother. And I seem to have found him on team free will."

With that Atropos vanished and moments later Liz found herself standing in Bobby's living room looking at the Winchester's who wore matching expressions of confusion.

"What just happened?" Sam seemed a little shaken, but who wouldn't be after almost being crushed to death what felt to him like seconds ago.

"I'll explain everything I know, but first get mom, Jo, and Bobby. They need to hear this too." Now that the danger had passed Liz's mind was spinning. She wasn't supposed to exist? What did that even mean?

* * *

_**Okay, so I was asked to show why the boys trust Liz so much so I gave you guys a little peek. I may go more into their history later, show how they met, all that. But the mjor plot changes are future plots, not past. There seemed to be a little confusion on that, sorry. As for character development, it's coming, I promise. I've actually got to really get into it before you see it, right now it's all mostly set up. Anyway, drop me a line to tell me what you think. AndI'm not promising romance, but I do have a question. Do you guys prefer Destiel, or Dean and Jo together. I personal like both, so if I do decide on romance I could go either way. Let me know what you would prefer! **_

_**And thanks to Lindsey for the review. Constructive critism is always welcome, and I aprreciate your thoughts on the story!**_


	7. Chapter 6

After everyone had gathered into Bobby's living room, a silence fell. Liz felt the weight of it, it felt like it was suffocating her.

"Okay," count on Ellen to break the tension. "So what happened?" Liz took a deep breath before she began to speak.

"Apparently I'm not in fate's plan. I was never supposed to exist. I'm an anomaly." Shocked faces all around. Balthazar placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"But that's insane. You were born just like any other person. I remember holding you for the first time in the hospital." Ellen seemed like the wind had been knocked out of her.

"You're right. She was born, and she did grow up. All of that was real. It's not implanted memories or anything of that nature." Castiel spoke from his place across the room. "I remember the birth. The garrison was assigned to watch over it. Make sure everything went smoothly." Balthazar looked to his brother, his face uncertain for a moment.

"But they only do that for special births."

"Yes. Like with Sam and Dean."

"Wait, so you watched when I was _born_?" Dean's voice held a note of surprise.

"Of course Dean we had to.."

"Not the point here!" Balthazar cut Castiel short. "So did they tell you why this birth was special?"

"Well, it was just said that she was important to God's plan. But as she grew, and heaven changed, it was forgotten. The Winchesters became our main priority."

"So my daughter is somehow important to this 'big plan' God's got cooking?" Ellen's anger was boiling below the surface and Liz and Jo knew one wrong word from either angel would put it over the top.

"Yes. But we're unsure of how she was intended to fit into it." Castiel seemed oblivious to the rage building in Ellen in that moment.

"My baby is not going to participate in this pissing match between two angels who can't even . . ."

"Mom calm down." Jo to the rescue. Ellen gave her youngest an expression that would have sent most running for cover. "We're all in this 'pissing match' as you put it. We've all been pulled in, we're all participants. So it's a little late to try and stop it."

"Joanna Beth . . ."

"Arguing is not what we need right now!" Liz shouted, finally speaking up. "What we need is to figure out what happened, and why it happened. Now my head is killing me, and I'm going to go upstairs and rest for a while. When I get back you guys need to have something, any kind of plan, to figure out what we do next!" And with that said, she made true on her promise, turned and went up the stairs.

* * *

Once alone Liz pulled her duffle from under her bed. She dug threw in, setting weapons and ammo aside until she found what she was looking for. A book. A little leather book, it was dark blue and tattered. She ran her fingers on the engraving in the front of it like she had done so many times before. _'You'll know when to open it'_. She opened book and began reading the first page. Halfway through she stopped, dropped the book and covered her mouth with her hand. This was impossible. It was insane. And yet. . . she picked the book up off the floor and continued reading. Everything was explained. She knew now why she was born. And God it made her sick. If all of this was true . . . so many lives she was in charge of. How could one person change so much? She sighed. The book told her what she had to do. And the first thing on the list? Inform Balthazar. Of everything. He was going to be pissed.

* * *

_**Sorry for the long break and short chapter guys. I'm suffering from a bit of writers block. I know exactly where I want the story to go . . . getting it there is proving to be a little more difficult than expected. Don't worry, the cliffy will be rewarded with juicey details next chapter, she has to talk to Bal after all. :)**_


	8. Chapter 7

_**Sorry about the long wait, I have not forgotten you guys or this story!**_

* * *

Liz started back downstairs, her face set in a hard line. She knew she'd be bombarded with questions, but she couldn't answer any of them. Not yet. She'd have to blow them off, make up something, tell them she knew a lot more than she should. She'd have to do something, and she wasn't sure what she was going to do yet, the bottom of the stairs were approaching much too quickly for her taste. But the instructions were very clear. _Tell __**him **__immediately. _She didn't have to question who 'he' was, she'd already known. As she re-entered the living room all eyes turned to her. After her dramatic 'my head is hurting I need sleep' exit she figured she'd get this sort of reaction.

"I need to talk to Balthazar. Alone." Her mother stood from her position on the couch.

"And why is that?" Liz paused for a moment, contemplating her choices here.

"I've . . . discovered some new information. Information I can only share with him . . . for the time being." Honestly the last part was to just try and pacify her mother. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to share this information with her family.

"If you know something, we all need to know too." Ellen seemed to be the voice of the group, Liz could tell from everyone's expression that they all felt the same way.

"You can't know. Not yet. In time, maybe. Look it's nothing life or death, nothing trying to kill us, and nothing that helps us beat the devil. It's just, I sorta figured out why Atropos said what she did." Her mother opened her mouth to argue. "No, don't say anything." Ellen seemed shocked by the command. "Look, I just, it's . . ." She was struggling to find a way to make her mother understand. "I just found out a lot about myself, don't ask how, I can't tell you, and found out that I can't even tell my family. So I'm not being secretive because I want to. I'm being secretive because I have to. And trust me, it sucks. A lot. So please just stop making it worse." And with that said she turned on her heels and exited the front door of Bobby's home.

* * *

"Hey." Liz didn't move from her position of leaning on her car, but she knew who was behind her.

"Wanna tell me what all that was about." Liz sighed. "Actually, I have a lot to tell you." She turned towards the angel and pulled her small leather book from her pocket. "I opened it." He watched her quietly, an sign for her to continue. "I read the first few pages, and God it's fucked up. No pun intended." Balthazar's face contorted in confusion.

"What pun?"

"The book's from God."

"Ha, very funny. Seriously, what did it say."

"It said it was from God. And there was a picture in the front of it." She pulled out the picture and showed it to Balthazar. "This is Chuck Shurley. The prophet." Balthazar seemed confused for a moment. Liz took this time to open the book and began to read.

_Elizabeth, _

_ So you found Atropos today. Well then, I guess it's a good thing you remember this book. But I knew you wouldn't forget, after all I made you especially clever. Well first off, don't listen to what she said. So maybe you weren't in the original plan, the one she has a copy of, but you are a part of the re-write. That's right! I made a re-write of the entire planet. The only thing I changed, you. I created you. You're going to do big things Liz, save the world (with a little help of course). Lucifer is not the worst threat you will face, and I'm sad to say it, but millions of lives will rest in your capable hands. That's right, capable. I made you Liz, and you're special. Sam and Dean may be the chosen ones, and they will save the world more times than anyone will ever know; but they can't do it without you. You have your own role to play. Don't tell you family about this, you can't tell anyone except: Tell __**him **__immediately. After this entry there will be nothing but blank pages. Don't worry about that. Keep the book close at all time. As you need information the pages will begin to fill. _

"And what makes you think this was God?" Balthazar's face was unreadable.

"Bal, I've had this book my entire life. Since I was a little girl. That picture is of Chuck and the boys. They've known Chuck less than a year. Not to mention they are adults in the picture. No one gets their hands on this book. No one has ever even seen it except you. And he knew I met Atropos today. What are the odds of that?" Balthazar nodded. He still seemed a little off to her. "What's wrong with you?"

"My father disappeared a very long time ago Liz. So long there isn't a human word to describe it. And yet, here is a book given to you by a man you can't remember, written by God. Do you understand the significance of that?"

"I wanna say yes, but I feel like the honest answer is no." Balthazar grinned a little at her honesty.

"God only has one other form of written word. And that was taken down by an angel. Never has He actually written anything. And besides that, only the archangels have ever seen His face. He does not communicate with any being like this that we know of. And yet, he does, with you." Liz's eyes widened as the severity of that statement sunk in.

"So, I'm like, a super prophet?" Balthazar outright laughed at that.

"If that helps you put it into perspective, sure. But let me warn you. Try and keep this from Cas for as long as possible. He will be very upset that he spent so long looking for our father, and yet, a piece of him has been with you all along." Liz swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I'll be sure to do that."

"So what do you plan to do now Elizabeth?" She grinned.

"There was one other thing written in the journal before the blank pages." Balthazar cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What was that?"

"_You may show him this book if he does not agree to help._ Mysterious, I know. And coordinates." Her grin was downright evil.

* * *

_**Next chapter: who's at the coordinates?! Woo! Getting super excited that I'm getting to the point where my own twist and plot points are coming up! And don't take God's message to Liz the wrong way, the boys are still the 'chosen two' and still save the world, she's just a little . . . added help. ;)**_

_**Reviews bully me into updating faster. **_


	9. Chapter 8

_**So, looking back on it now, my writing has SUCKED in the previous chapters. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so far but from now on expect longer more detailed chapters and just better writing in general on my part. :P Also, I'm going to be throwing in random flashbacks of no particular order in here, to really give you a view on the past relationship between the boys and Liz without screwing up story progression or making it awkward by having them look at each other and have *gasp* RANDOM FLASHBACKS! I hope you guys enjoy where this chapter takes you. :)**_

* * *

Liz decided it would be better to just get in her car and leave, rather than face her mother again. So four hours and a state later she was pulling over at a motel just as the sun was coming up.

"Need sleep already?" Liz frowned at his patronizing tone.

"No." She responded curtly. "We're leaving my car here and I'm getting a room for the week with my credit card. Leaving a trail incase my mother decides to try and follow. She'll end up here, while we end up where we need to be."

"Ah. And here I thought we were traveling in the wrong direction simply because you had a terrible sense of direction." If Balthazar had been a human man her glare would have frightened him, instead it only made him chuckle. "So I take it you want to travel by flight from here?"

"Yes. It's the quickest way, and it's impossible for my mother to track." Balthazar nodded at her.

"She could always have Castiel do the spell and force me to appear back at the old man's house."

"Bobby. His name is Bobby. And nah, she wouldn't. Too paranoid that I'd be needing your help with something when she did it. Never before have I been thankful for that woman's insane paranoia." Liz knew though, if she had two daughters in a world like this she'd probably be more crazy than her mother. "I'm going in here to get the room, and when I come back out we can head out." Liz was starting to feel a bit of fatigue but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She had somehow made a habit of ending up on hunts that cause her to get no sleep for days at a time. One night with no sleep was nothing, even if her day had been overwhelmingly stressful.

* * *

"She won't answer her phone!" Ellen was livid. How dare that girl take off in the middle of the night without so much as a note saying where she'd be. She thought raised her children to be smarted than that. There was nothing more dangerous than being on a hunt when absolutely no one knew where you were. How the hell did she expect them to find her if she needed help?

"Mom, think about it. She told us she knew a lot she couldn't tell us. Maybe this trip, whatever she's doing, is something she can't tell us." Ellen rounded on her youngest daughter.

"I've already thought of that Jo, and it don't make it any better! I thought I taught that girl more common sense than this. It's the end of the world out there, Lucifer out and who knows what else came with him. And she's just gonna run off, half-cocked with no back up to God only knows where?"

"Ellen, she is not without back up." Jo shook her head. Poor Castiel had no idea what he was getting himself into. "Balthazar obviously accompanied her on this trip."

"Don't feed me that crap. You expect me to trust an angel I barely know to keep my baby alive. Hell, I thought she was dead a few days ago! Jo almost died too. I almost lost both my girls in the same damn day and you expect me to be okay with the fact that you think your 'brother' will keep her safe?" Ellen chest was heaving after her outburst. Everyone knew the root of her emotions was worry for her daughter, but Ellen was a tough woman so she attempted to disguise it with anger. Castiel only stared at her with those wide, blue eyes of his.

"Yes I do, considering it was my brother who returned not one, but both of your daughters to you that day."

Jo almost laughed at the look on her mother's face as the older woman was stunned into silence. Perhaps Castiel could handle her mother better than she'd thought. Sam and Dean chose that moment to return to the room. Ellen, over her moment of stunned silence, rounded on them.

"I want you two to find her. She took her car, so it won't be hard. Get out there and find my daughter." To Jo's surprise it was Dean who spoke up.

"Sure thing Ellen. Me and Sammy will head out within an hour." Dean gave Bobby a knowing look.

"Ellen, why don't we go in the kitchen and get you a drink to steady your nerves?" He wheeled his way over to the woman who nodded and followed him into the kitchen. Once they were out of ear shot the three young hunters all moved closer together so they could talk without being overheard.

"You guys aren't really gonna go find her, are you?" Dean grinned at the young blonde.

"Nah, we're just trying to get your mom to calm down. We figure, if she's smart, she took the car somewhere and ditched it. So we'll go, find the car, no Liz, and maybe get your mom to calm down just a bit."

"We didn't want to risk messing up whatever it is she's doing. Liz wouldn't be keeping secrets if it wasn't important." Jo nodded at Sam.

"I know, I just wish my mom would understand."

"She's Ellen, it's practically her job to worry and hover. Don't worry, we got this covered." Dean said with a wink.

* * *

_ Liz was panting as she ran. She had to get into that house. The front door was locked, supernatural lock down style, so that was a no go. Sam and Dean were in the house, and things were gonna get ugly quick if she didn't get in there. A typical salt and burn, or so they had thought. Liz had just gotten a call from her mother. The story didn't really add up. She'd missed a very important detail. There were two different killing patterns. That meant two spirits. Which meant that Sam and Dean should be looking for two bodies, not one. She heard a loud bang, followed by a shot gun blast and a curse. Shit. She needed to get in there __**now.**_

_ Back door was locked too. She didn't have time for this. Then something caught her attention. An axe leaning against the side of the shed in the backyard. Bingo! She grinned to herself. Oh yeah, this entrance would be awesome. She grabbed the axe and began chopping at the door. One swing, two; she'd made a small hole. Six swings later it was almost big enough to slip through. Another three swings and she was in. She picked up her shotgun from the outside of the door and began to make her way through the house. _

'_Sam? Dean?' She called. _

'_Down the hall!' The voice was strained but obviously Dean's. She made her way carefully down watching the area for any sign of the spirit. She found Sam and Dean pinned to the wall by a heavy dresser in the last bedroom. Their arms were pinned down at their sides, which explained why they hadn't pushed it off yet._

"_Need a hand?" She grinned at them._

"_Oh shut up and get this thing off of us."_

_"Mom called there are . . ."_

_"Two spirits. Yeah, we got that after we burned the body in the basement and came face to face with Casper-the-asshole up here." She rolled her eyes at Dean's attitude._

_"Well I'll check the attic, you two check this floor. Hopefully it's another body here or we've got another three to four days stuck in this town."_

_"Aw, I thought you liked hunting with us Lizzie." She growled playfully at Dean at the use of her childhood pet name._

_"Small doses Winchester. Very small doses. And **stop **calling me Lizzie."_

* * *

Liz was sitting in a small café in the back water town the coordinates had led them to. She was confused. There didn't seem to be anything worth coming here for, they'd been here for two days and nothing had set off any alarm bells. As the waitress brought her a refill for her coffee Liz felt something in her jacket pocket that made her stiffen. The book, which had been safely tucked in her pocket since the first night she read it, began to heat up and make her skin tingle in a peculiar manner. She pulled it out and flipped it to what had earlier been a blank page.

_Trap the trickster in the holy oil._

She frowned in confusion. Holy oil wouldn't trap a trickster. Why the hell would God tell her to try? She felt the air around her shift and she grimaced a little.

"Someone's gonna notice if you keep popping up out of nowhere like that."

"Nah. Humans are dull. Only see what you want to see." She threw a splenda packet at him and laughed at his rude statement.

"So the book has given me cryptic and useless advice." A raised eyebrow encouraged her to continue. "It told me to 'trap the trickster in the holy oil,' whatever the hell that means."

"Well, what the hell? Might as well try it. Why don't you head back to the hotel and see what you can dig up about a possible Trickster in town while I see what I can uncover on my end. And by the way, I so don't appreciate all the work you're causing me to have to do."

"Oh we all know you sit around on your ass doing nothing when you're not with me. Stuff like this is good for you. Keeps you sharp." She sassed with a toothy grin. "I'll call you if I find anything." And with that she stood and left him.

* * *

"Well, we managed to find the car. She checked into the Riverview Motel for a week with her credit card, but as far as I can tell she hasn't been in the area." Dean could here Ellen chewing his brother out from the other end of the line.

"Well, if I had to guess I'd say she had Balthazar teleport her from here to wherever she needed to get. Which means we won't be able to track her down easily." Sam listened patiently to the woman on the other end of the line for a minute. "Yes, Ellen, of course we'll keep looking. Alright, I'll call you when I have an update."

"Sheesh. Ellen is really on a role with this whole 'seek and destroy' thing, isn't she."

"Yeah. I feel bad for lying to her, but we can't let Ellen know that we what we talked about with Jo. We could screw up whatever Liz's doing if we just show up, unannounced."

Dean grimaced. "I know. I also know that I'm gonna kick her ass for taking off and leaving me out of the loop, again!" Sam shook his head at his brothers antics.

"Dean, end of the world. Show a little perspective."

"I am showing perspective Sammy. From my perspective I deserve to know what's going on. We've been busting ass for months looking for leads on how to gank the devil. If she has one, she should share the wealth man." Sam decided to ignore the fact that his brother was acting the part of a petulant child and opened the passenger side door to the impala.

"Let's go. We at least have to make it look like we're searching. I wouldn't put it past Ellen to track our asses too."

* * *

What the hell? Liz was seriously confused as she started at the man before her. If she had passed him on the street she would have never glanced at him twice. He was shorted than her by a few inches, with brown hair and brown eyes. Nothing about him screamed 'freak' or 'monster'. But she'd dealt with that before, not all monsters looked like monster. It was the eyes that were bothering her. So much depth in them. Once you actually took time to look at him, watch him, it was obvious he was more than human. His voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"You really think this will hold me? I'm a Trickster, holy oil don't work on me sister." Liz kept her eyes steady on his and forced the shake out of her voice.

"Then step over the line and show me." The man, creature, before her didn't move. Only glared at her.

"How did you find me anyway? I thought I was doing a pretty good job of laying low." Liz smiled.

"Oh if I had just been passing through I wouldn't have known you were here. I happened to know for a fact _something _was in this town, I just had to dig around until I found out what was here." Balthazar chose that moment to appear by her side. When he did he sucked in a deep breath.

"Gabriel?" Liz broke eye contact with the man before her and snapped her head around to Balthazar.

"Excuse me?" Both angels ignored her.

"I guess you caught me. Hello Balthazar. Long time no see."

"You were dead. Have been for a long time." Gabriel laughed.

"So were you I hear."

"Yes, well heaven did get a bit distasteful after a while. All the fighting and political agendas."

"Ouch. It seems like it only got worse after I left." Balthazar laughed this time.

"Oh, if you could see them now. After the only Archangel who wasn't a total dick-bag up and winged it out the pearly gates, everyone lost their damn minds."

"Oh? Well I can't say that I'm very surprised, always knew the place would go to shit without me." It seemed like Gabriel's carefree grin was permanently etched into his features. Balthazar opened his mouth to answer but was cut off when Liz began speaking in a loud, angry voice.

"What the hell is going on here?" Balthazar turned to face her, his expression showed his amusement with the situation.

"Liz, the 'trickster' you have caught is none other than my brother, Gabriel."

"Like, the Archangel Gabriel?" Now Gabriel turned to her as well.

"The one and only." Liz grinned.

"Well Gabriel, it seems we've got a lot to talk about."

"Yeah, Lucy's outta the cage blah blah blah . . ." Liz felt the book grow warm in her pocket again. "News flash, I know. Don't care." Gabriel grinned at her. "See, I got myself in a little witness protection program here on earth. Not really found of the idea of coming out. Especially not on the wrong side of both big bros." Balthazar frowned but Liz just took the book out of her pocket and opened it to the next page. The passage that was written was not in English, from the look of the lettering it was Enochian, so without a word she handed the book over to Gabriel. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Don't know what it says. Just read it." Gabriel read the passage silently and then looked at Liz, his eyes guarded.

"Where the hell did this book come from?" She shrugged at him.

"No idea. A man gave it to me when I was really small. Told me I'd know when the time was right to read it." He tossed the book back over to her and sighed.

"Well this is some really heavy shit it would appear."

"Why? What did the book tell you?"

"It was a message. It ancient Enochian. Only the Archangels know the language, well us and Dadio obviously. The message told me to tell you what I know about how to get good old Lucy back in his cage." Liz felt her entire body fill with adrenaline.

"Wait, there's a way to do that?" Gabriel's eyes gleamed with mischief as he looked at her.

"Of course there is. There is always a plan B Lizzie girl." She cringed when he called her Lizzie.

"Well, how do we do that exactly?" Balthazar spoke up again; he seemed hesitant about the idea. "Without dying that is?" Gabriel's face was much too joyful for the topic at hand, in Liz's opinion, but she kept it to herself. They needed his help right now.

"Well when our big brother made his escape from the pit, something else rose with him. Well four somethings."

"The horsemen." Balthazar answered.

"Yes. Each wears a gaudy old ring. Get all four rings together, and bam! Magic door to the cage is opened up nice and easy for ya."

"Well, Lucifer isn't exactly gonna skip back into the pit with a smile on his face. How the hell do we get him in there? And how the hell are we supposed to get the rings, these horsemen aren't exactly gonna hand 'em over no fight." Gabriel's grin widened.

"Not my problem. I explained what I knew. The rest is up to your family and those Winchester bafoons. Not put out the fire and let me be on my way."

"Not until you tell us how we're expected to do this!" Balthazar moved his hand and the flames extinguished themselves. Gabriel was gone without another word. "What'd you do that for!?" Balthazar sighed.

"He wasn't going to tell us anything else. It was best to let him go before we made him angry. If we keep on his good side, we're better off. Trust me." Liz groaned.

"This is going to be impossible." Balthazar just remained silent by her side. "Well, let's get back to the motel and get my shit. It's time to drop the bomb on everyone else." The flapping of feathers and they both were gone.

* * *

_**Okay, so definitely changed the way Gabe made his appearance. ;) Don't worry if your a fan of him, I'm not done with him yet. And just for reference I plan to take this fic at LEAST into season 7, Leviathin plot is something I can't wait to screw around with. Not sure about season 8 yet, I guess it depends on how the story progresses. Guys, if ya don't mind, drop me a line and let me know what you think of 'the road so far'. :)**_


End file.
